QUAKE-HIT SICHUAN WANTS MALAYSIA CONSULATE, AIR LINK

By Tham Choy Lin

CHENGDU, March 2 (Bernama) - Quake-hit Sichuan has asked Malaysia to set up
a consulate in its capital and restore air links between Chengdu and Kuala
Lumpur to enhance bilateral and trade ties.

Sichuan Vice-Govenor Wei Hong conveyed the request to Malaysian Ambassador
to China Syed Norulzaman Kamarulzaman who visited Chengdu this week for a
briefing on the quake reconstruction efforts and investments.

"We feel the conditions are matured," Wei said as he also thanked Syed
Norulzaman for quake relief supplies and US$1.5 million donation from the
Malaysian Government to help victims of last May's devastating earthquake that
killed over 69,000 people and left millions homeless.

He said trade between Sichuan and Malaysia had risen tremendously in recent
years, more than doubled from US$160 million in 2006 to US$500 million in 2008.

He said Sichuan was developing into a hub for logistics, trade and finance
in western China and a number of foreign countries had opened representative
offices in Chengdu.

Syed Norulzaman said he would relay the request to the Malaysian Government.

"Our relations, including trade with Sichuan, has been developing very well
and there still many areas in which we can go into.

"We will certainly be engaged with them in the coming future," added the
envoy.

Malaysian official presence in Chengdu so far, is a Malaysian External Trade
Development Corporation (Matrade) office established last July and a Tourism
Malaysia representative office.

There are four Malaysia consulates in China currently, in Hong Kong,
Shanghai, Guangzhou in southern Guangdong province and Kunming in southwestern
Yunnan province that oversees Sichuan.

Foreign governments with consulates here are the United States, South Korea,
Thailand, Germany, France, Singapore and Pakistan. The Philippines announced
last year it would establish one, as well.

Syed Norulzaman informed Wei that Malaysia's budget carrier, AirAsia, was
planning to start four weekly services to Chengdu in the second half of the
year.

Malaysia Airlines dropped Chengdu from its China network in mid-2006 when
the national carrier underwent a restructuring exercise.

Since then, travel between Malaysia and Sichuan is via Kunming in Yunnan
province neighbouring Sichuan, Guangzhou in southern China, Thai capital
Bangkok or Singapore.

-- BERNAMA